New Year, New Home – Top Tips on Giving Your Space a Facelift!

I’m absolutely crazy for interiors at the moment and think I will be for the foreseeable future. There’s something about moving into some place new that gets you so excited about the littlest decorative things. From the little crystals I bought in Essaouira that sit on my bedside table, to the lovely and plush grey sofa to the gorgeous prints that Desenio so kindly send to me. I’m in love with decorating.

This Saturday marked a week since me and Jay moved in. We’re still not completely settled. We have to get our hands on a couple of bookcases, I’d like to buy a vanity and I have to figure out where I’m making a little makeshift office where I can work from. SO we’re still shifting things around and figuring out the best place to put things. All in all, it’s going really well.

I’ve put together some ‘Top Tips on Giving Your Space a Facelift’ for making your space look brand new and fresh for 2018!

Invest in Some New Prints

If you’re renting then you can’t give your place a fresh lick of paint which can be a bummer. If your walls are boring or ugly then adding some framed prints can hide that away. Instead of nailing them to the walls, because that’s likely to be banned if you’re renting as well, stand them up against a wall. If they’re big enough they certainly won’t look silly and it can often give a place a casual artsy look without too much effort. You can take a look at my review of prints from both Denesio and Posterlounge via these links.

Replace Old Curtains With Bright & Light Shutters

Curtains can often look old very quickly unless you invest a lot of money into them. And, let’s be honest, no one wants to spend hundreds of pounds on curtains. Especially if you’re into switching up the colours in your bedroom quite frequently. Opting for indoor shutters offers your space a different kind of look. They always remind me of the house Noah builds Allie in the Notebook “I want a white house, with blue shutters!” Shutters can offer you a lot more privacy than curtains can if you live on a roadside too, you can have them partially open and letting in light but not enough to have people nosey into your bedroom of living room.

(These pics were taken in my building’s Resident’s Lounge. The decor is far too boy-ish for me in here. but it’s a fantastic place to get my head down and write posts. A Move in and Apartment Tour post and video of my new place is coming soon!)

Replace or Deep Clean Your Carpets & Rugs Often

You’d be surprised at how dirty things like carpets and rugs can get. My dad’s been in the flooring business for a long time. So, I’ve spent many a summers in his shop selling and helping customers choose floorings. I don’t mean to brag, but I’m a bit of a flooring expert. Carpets get full of dust, dirt, food, skin etc. It’s kind of gross, but replacing your carpet every time it gets dirty is unrealistic because they can come to quite an expense. Invest in some carpet cleaning gear and it’ll last you for life.

Alternatively, you can always cover up ugly or old carpet with a cute fresh rug. Everyone knows that small sheepskin rug from IKEA. But you can also find great ones at a carpet business or in places like Urban Outfitters. If you’re travelling to somewhere like Morocco soon, I’d highly recommend picking up a rug from there as they are beautiful and very affordable. Plus, it’s likely to be a lot more unique!

Add Mirrors to Make Your Apartment Look Bigger

Mirrors can help with making a small space look a lot bigger and it can draw in more light. Now, I don’t mean go making a ballet studio out of your bedroom (unless you’re into that sort of thing). But adding a large mirror above something like your main sofa can make your space appear bigger. Of course, it’s all an illusion but it makes all the difference if you’re having guests over or if you feel a bit claustrophobic in a studio.

What tricks do you guys use to make your space look fresh when it’s in need of a lift? I’d love to know how you add decorative touches to your place too. Mine and Jay’s apartment is looking a wee bit empty at the moment!